Method of folding contour sheets



Feb. 22, 1966 D. R. SIPE METHOD OF FOLDING CONTOUR SHEETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 10, 1963 INVENTOR. S; g

WSPcMes-T air/9412K Feb. 22, 1966 D. R. SIPE 3,236,425

METHOD OF FOLDING CONTOUR SHEETS Filed April 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,236,425 METHOD OF FOLDING CONTOUR SHEETS Darlene R. Sipe, P.O. Box 334, Tukwila, Wash. Filed Apr. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 272,071 3 Claims. c1. 223 37 This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the folding of contour sheets and contour blankets.

A contour sheet, or contour blanket, has a base portion of the sheet proper. This base portion covers the body of a mattress. Circumscribing the base portion and integral therewith is a skirt. The skirt may be considered to have a mitered corner and also a mitered seam. In the folded state the skirt may be considered to overlap the base portion. The usual conventional Way of folding a contour sheet is similar to the conventional way of folding a flat sheet. More particularly, the ends may be folded over each other, with the skirt in the interior of the fold. Then, the sides may be folded and the process of folding the ends and sides continued until the folded sheet is of the approximate size the person doing the folding desires. In the folding of a conventional sheet there results a substantially flat sheet. However, in the folding of a contour sheet there does not result a substantially flat sheet but instead a sheet having bulges due to the overlapping of the skirt with the base portion of the sheet. These bulges occur, especially at the corners. At a result, it is more difficult to store contour sheets as they are not flat but of varying thickness. Because of this and also the unsightly appearance, many women hesitate to buy and use contour sheets, even though they are very presentable on a bed. In addition to the unsightliness of the folded contour sheet there are normally employed two individuals to satisfactorily fold the sheet. Normally, if two people are not employed to fold the sheet the skirt portion loses its position with respect to the base portion and adds to the unsightliness of the sheet in the folded state.

With this background with regard to contour sheets and the folding of the same I have invented an apparatus which makes it possible for one person to fold such a sheet and also I have invented a method for the folding of the sheet. More particularly, this method comprises the turning inside out of one corner of the sheet and the tucking of this inside-out corner inside another corner. As a result the unsightly bulges are eliminated and the resulting contour sheet lies substantially flat so that it represents a neat appearance and can be readily stored. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide both an apparatus and a method whereby one person can fold a contour sheet or blanket; to provide a method making it possible to fold a contour sheet into a neat package or bundle which is substantially flat and has no unsightly bulges; to provide a folded contour sheet which is easier to store and requires less storage space than is now employed for a contour sheet folded by other methods; to provide a method and apparatus for the folding of contour sheets so that the folded sheet is more readily transported from a laundry or other place to the user; to provide an apparatus and method which makes it possible for fewer people to fold the sheet thereby making it possible for a laundry to more economically fold a sheet; and, to provide a low cost apparatus for folding a contour sheet.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a rack having spring clips for holding contour sheets preparatory to the folding of the same;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the rack and spring clips with said rackattached to a wall or a support;

FIGURE 3 is a view of a contour sheet and illustrates the base portion of the sheet proper, the skirt, the mitered corner and the mitered seam;

FIGURE 4 is a view of a contour sheet and shows the left corner flap being turned inside out preparatory to being tucked inside the right corner;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view of approximately one-half of a sheet on a rack and said sheet being in the process of being folded;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of the sheet folded on a rack and shows the right hand corner tucked inside the left hand corner; and,

FIGURE 7 is a view of the sheet and shows the left hand corner, turned inside out, preparatory to being tucked inside the right hand corner.

In FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a rack 10 which is employed in folding a contour sheet. This rack 10 has a main support member 12 which comprises a base 14, two outwardly directed legs 16 along the upper and lower side, and two legs 18 which are substantially parallel to the base portion 14. The legs 16 are at an angle with respect to the base 14 and are directed outwardly on the same side of said base. The legs 18 are at an angle with respect to the legs 16 and are substantially parallel to the base 14.

On the outer surface of the base portion 14, or figuratively speaking, the convex surface of 14, there is positioned a clamping means, a spring clip 20. This spring clip 20 comprises a stationary member having a base 22 and on each side of the base 22 are two spaced-apart flanges 24. The clip 20 also comprises a movable member having a base 26 and integral with the sides of 26 two spaced-apart flanges 28. The base 26 is somewhat narrower than the base 22 so that the flanges 28 fit inside the flanges 24. The adjacent flanges 28 and 24 are joined by a pin 30 or by other suitable fastening means such as a nut and bolt. The base 22 has a lower end 32 and the base 26 has a lower end 34. The two ends 32 and 34 act so as to clamp between them a cloth such as a sheet or a blanket. There is a spring 36 in the general configuration of a U or a V. One end of this spring is welded at 38 to the base 26 and the other end is welded at 40 to the base 22. The spring 36 urges together the ends 34 and 32. The base 22 is attached to the base 14 by means of rivets 42. The rack 10 may be attached to a wall portion 44 by means of a screw 46. The screws 46 pass through the legs 18. It is seen that because of the legs 16 that the base portion 14 is spaced-apart from the wall 44.

There may be positioned on the base 12 a plurality of spring clamps 20. More particularly, there may be a first spring clamp 48, a second spring clamp 50, a third spring clamp 52, and a fourth spring clamp 54. The clamp 50 may be spaced approximately 19 /2 inches from the clamp 48; the clamp 52 spaced about 27 inches from the clamp 48; and the clamp 54 spaced about 36 inches from the clamp 48. The spacing for the clamps are determined by the size of the sheet such as a sheet for a single bed, a twin bed and a double bed. This will be more particularly brought forth upon the presentation of the method for folding the sheet. In addition the spring clamps 50, 52 and 54 may be movable on the base 12.

A contour sheet 60 has a base portion 62. The sheet has sides 64, 66 and ends 68 and 70. There is a circumscribing skirt portion which is integral with the base proper. The skirt comprises a portion 72 adjacent the side 64 a portion 74 adjacent the end 68, a portion 76 adjacent the side 66 and a portion 78 adjacent the end 70. The side 64 and the end 68 meet at a mitered corner 80, and the skirt portions 74 and 72 are joined at a mitered seam 82. The end 68 and the side 66 meet at a mitered corner 84, and the skirt portion 74 and the skirt portion 76 join at a mitered seam 86. The side 66 and the end 70 meet at a mitered corner 88, and the skirt portion 76 and the skirt portion 78 are joined at the mitered seam 90. The end 70 and the side 64 meet at a mitered corner 92, and the skirt portion 78 and the skirt portion 72 meet at a mitered seam 94. The skirt portion circumscribes a large opening 96.

With reference to FIGURE 4 there is illustrated an initial step in the folding of the contour sheet. More particularly, one corner is turned inside out with respect to the other corner so that the skirt portion for half of the sheet is on one side of the base portion and the skirt portion for the other half of the sheet is on the other side of the base portion. In FIGURE 4 the corner 80 is turned inside out so that half of the skirt portion 74 is on one side of the base portion 62 and the other half is on the other side of the base portion. The skirt portion 76 is on that side of the sheet facing the observer and the skirt portion 72 is hidden from the observer by the base portion 62. It is to be realized that the corner 92 is turned inside out so as to be on the same side of the sheet as the corner 80.

Then, see FIGURE 7, that part of the sheet having the skirt portion 72 is folded over so that the skirt portion 72 and the skirt portion 76 are both visible to the observer. Then, the corner 80 is tucked into the corner 84 so that the corner 80 is adjacent to the corner 84 and between the skirt portions 74 and 76 and the base proper 62. The skirt portion 72 is between the skirt portion 76 and the base proper 62. And, the left half skirt portion 74 is underneath the right half skirt portion 74 and the base portion 62 adjacent to corner 84. Again, the corner 92 is treated in a similar manner with respect to the corner 88 as the corner 80 is treated with respect to the corner 84.

It is seen that in FIGURES 4 and 5 that, normally, two people are required to fold the contour sheet. One person is at the end 68 and the other person is at the end 70. It is possible for one person to fold the contour sheet as illustrated but the size of the sheet makes it relatively unwieldable. In FIGURES 6 and 7 there is illustrated the use of the rack 12 for folding the sheet. The corner 84 of the sheet may be clamped into position on the spring clamp 48. Then, a central portion of the sheet may be clamped by the spring clamp 50 so as to hang free. It is to be realized that approximately half or over half of the sheet is not clamped to the rack 12. This half of the sheet may be referred to as the corner 80. Then, the corner 80 is folded as illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 and the corner 8th tucked inside the corner 84 as previously explained. The corners 80 and 84 may be held by the clamp 48 and the lower edge of the sheet 70 may be folded upward so as to overlap approximately half of the sheet. In like manner, the sheet may be continually folded smaller until it has reached the desired size. In the process of folding the clamps 48, 50 and, if necessary, the other clamps may be utilized in holding the sheet, depending upon the width of the sheet.

Another method for folding the sheet is for a person to fold one half of the sheet as illustrated in FIGURE 7 with the corner 80 tucked in the corner 84 with the mitered seam between the mitered seam 86 and the base proper 62. Then, the corners 84 and 80 of the sheet may be clamped into position on the spring clamp 48, and a central portion of the sheet may be clamped by the spring clamp 50 so as to hang free. The folding of the sheet may be continued as previously outlined.

From the foregoing it is seen that I have presented a method for folding a contour sheet so that the resulting sheet is neat in appearance, substantially flat and easy to store. In addition to this method, I have presented an apparatus which may be employed by a person in the folding of a sheet. This makes it possible for one person in a laundry or the like to fold a contour sheet with a minimum of labor so that it is economically possible for a laundry to fold the contour sheets.

Having presented my invention what I claim is:

1. A method for folding a contour sheet, said sheet having a base portion and a circumscribing skirt, said sheet having a first mitered corner, a second mitered corner, a third mitered corner and a fourth mitered corner, said first and second mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said third and fourth mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said first and fourth mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said second and third mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said method comprising turning inside out the second mitered corner and the third mitered corner, positioning the second mitered corner inside the first mitered corner so as to be between the skirt and the base portion and positioning the third mitered corner inside the fourth mitered corner so as to be between the skirt and the base portion.

2. A method for folding a contour sheet, said sheet having a base portion and a circumscribing skirt, said sheet having a first mitered corner, a second mitered corner, a third mitered corner and a fourth mitered corner, said first and second mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said third and fourth mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said first and fourth mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said second and third mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said method comprising turning inside out the second mitered corner and the third mitered corner, positioning the second mitered corner inside the first mitered corner so as to be between the skirt and the base portion, and positioning the third mitered corner inside the fourth mitered corner so as to be between the skirt and the base portion.

3. A method for folding a contour sheet, said sheet having a base portion and a circumscribing skirt, said sheet having a first mitered corner, a second mitered corner, a third mitered corner and a fourth mitered corner, said first and second mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said third and fourth mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said first and fourth mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said second and third mitered corners being on the same side of the sheet, said method comprising:

(a) turning inside out the second mitered corner;

(b) turning inside out the third mitered corner;

(c) positioning the second mitered corner inside the first mitered corner so as to be between the skirt and the base portion;

(d) positioning the first and the second mite-red corners with the second mitered corner inside the first mitered corner;

(e) positioning the side between the first and the second mitered corners;

(f) positioning the third mitered corner inside the fourth mitered corner so as to be between the skirt and the base portion; and,

(g) folding the third and fourth mitered corners with the third corner inside the fourth mitered corner over the first and the second mitered corners.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 30,029 9/1860 Underhill 27061 460,237 9/1891 Brewthnall et a1 27061 673,909 5/1901 Kimball 269-154 X 1,281,680 10/1918 Smith 269152 X JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A METHOD FOR FOLDING A CONTOUR SHEET, SAID SHEET HAVING A BASE PORTION AND CIRCUMSCRIBING SKIRT, SAID SHEET HAVING A FIRS MITERED CORNER, A SECOND MITERED CORNER, SAID THIRD MITERED CORNER AND A FOURTH MITERED CORNER, SAID FIRST AND SECOND MITERED CORNERS BEING ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE SHEET, SAID THIRD AND FOURTH MITERED CORNERS BEING ON THE SAME SIDE OF SHEET, SAID FIRST AND FOURTH MITERED CORNERS BEIN ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE SHEET, SAID SECOND AND THIRD MITERED CORNERS BEING ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE SHEET, SAID METHOD COMPRISING TURNING INSIDE OUT THE SECOND MITERED CORNER AND THE THIRD MITERED CORNER, POSITIONING THE SECOND MITERED THE SKIRT AND THE FIRST MITERED CORNER SO AS TO BE BETWEEN THE SKIRT AND THE BASE PORTION AND POSITIONING THE THIRD MITERED CORNER INSIDE THE FOURTH MITERED CORNER SO AS TO BE BETWEEN THE SKIRT AND THE BASE PORTION. 